Summary

This study presents the largest data on satisfaction rates following ACL reconstruction and found that 87% of patients were satisfied, 8% neutral and 5% dissatisfied.

Abstract

Introduction

Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the preferred management of rupture in active patients. Reinjury may occur in up to 20% of active patients and may result in dissatisfaction. Current literature on satisfaction rates following ACL reconstruction is limited to small cohort studies. This study aimed to identify the rate of satisfaction of patients recorded in the New Zealand ACL Registry.

Methods

A patient questionnaire was sent to patients recorded in the New Zealand ACL Registry who underwent ACL reconstruction between 2017 and 2022. All patients had a minimum follow-up of two years in the Registry. Patients were asked how satisfied they were with the outcome of their ACL reconstruction as either ‘very satisfied’, ‘somewhat satisfied’, ‘neutral’, ‘somewhat dissatisfied’ or ‘dissatisfied’. Patient demographic and intraoperative surgical data on patients who responded to the questionnaire were extracted from the Registry. This also included whether patients had undergone any revision ACL reconstruction. Satisfaction rates were calculated and compared via Chi-square test.

Results

A total of 2853 patients were analyzed. 87.2% of patients were either ‘very’ or ‘somewhat satisfied’ with their surgery (n = 2489), 7.5% were ‘neutral’ (n = 214) and 5.3% were ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ dissatisfied (n = 150). 81% of patients who underwent revision ACL reconstruction reported satisfaction compared with 87% of patients who have not required revision (p = 0.08). Satisfaction rates were not influenced by patient age, gender, timing of surgery, history of previous knee surgery, graft choice, concomitant meniscal or chondral injuries.

Discussion And Conclusion

This study found a high rate of patient satisfaction with ACL reconstruction. Only 5% of patients were dissatisfied with the outcome of their surgery.